Despite pressure from protesters and condemnation from the United States, Europe, Mexico, Paraguay and Columbia, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro refused to back down and the National Constituent Assembly he called proceeded on July 30. At least 10 people were reportedly killed on Sunday. Voter turnout is unsurprisingly in dispute, with the Venezuelan government claiming a turnout of 41.5 percent, and the opposition claiming turnout was between 14 and 18 percent. Meanwhile, the Trump administration on Monday denounced the Assembly and slapped sanctions on Maduro (but no sanctions yet on Venezuelan oil, as the U.S. oil industry is dependent on crude from Venezuela). Today, it is reported that two opposition figures who were under house arrest have been detained. According to the Maduro government, they both violated conditions of their house arrest. Our guests are Lucas Koerner and Mark Weisbrot.
The Trump admin has made an all-out assault on transgender people, with the Department of Justice saying the Civil Rights Act does not protect trans and other LGBTQ people from discrimination, and Trump announcing that no trans people will be allowed in any aspect of the U.S. military. We speak with Tobias Barrington Wolff.
Last month, at a UN conference mandated by the UN General Assembly, 122 nations voted to ban nuclear weapons. North Korea was the only nuclear power to vote for the ban treaty, and almost all NATO nations boycotted the conference. Our guest is Alice Slater.